Aster novi-belgii cultivar xe2x80x98Victoria Dianaxe2x80x99.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Aster plant, botanically known as Aster novi-belgii and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Victoria Dianaxe2x80x99.
The new Aster is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in xc3x85rslev, Denmark. The objective of the breeding program is to create new potted Aster cultivars with uniform plant growth habit, desirable floret colors, and good postproduction longevity.
The new Aster originated from a cross made by the Inventor in xc3x85rslev, Denmark, of a proprietary Aster selection identified as code number F2, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Aster cultivar xe2x80x98Margrethe Vikingxe2x80x99, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,358, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Aster was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross grown in a controlled environment in xc3x85rslev, Denmark. The selection of this plant was based on its uniform plant growth habit and desirable inflorescence form and ray floret color.
Asexual reproduction of the new Aster by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in xc3x85rslev, Denmark during the Spring of 1999. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Aster are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar xe2x80x98Victoria Dianaxe2x80x99 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength, and/or light level, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Victoria Dianaxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Victoria Dianaxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Aster:
1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.
2. Dark green foliage.
3. Freely flowering habit.
4. Decorative-type inflorescences with white-colored ray florets.
Plants of the new Aster are more compact and have longer postproduction longevity than plants of the female parent selection.
Plants of the new Aster are most similar to plants of the male parent, the cultivar xe2x80x98Margrethe Vikingxe2x80x99. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Broby, Denmark, plants of the new Aster differed from plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Margrethe Vikingxe2x80x99 in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Aster were more compact than plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Margrethe Vikingxe2x80x99.
2. Plants of the new Aster had smaller leaves than plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Margrethe Vikingxe2x80x99.
3. Plants of the new Aster were more freely flowering than plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Margrethe Vikingxe2x80x99.
4. Inflorescences of the new Aster had more ray florets than inflorescences of the cultivar xe2x80x98Margrethe Vikingxe2x80x99.